History Main / PersecutionFlip

* Website/DeviantArt artist [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally RvBOMally]] has made several AlternateHistory maps exploring this concept:

** [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally/art/The-Yellow-Man-s-Burden-551792538 The Yellow Man's Burden]] is similar to the above, but applied to Asians. The PointOfDivergence is Ögedei Khan living a decade longer and allowing the Mongol Empire [[HordesFromTheEast to expand into Europe]], [[Class0 devastating Continental Europe]] and paving the way for [[UsefulNotes/TheFarEast Far Eastern civilizations]] to [[AlternateHistoryWank become major colonial empires]], complete with a [[{{Americasia}} Japanese-speaking ]] [[{{Eagleland}} US-analogue]].

** [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally/art/The-Yellow-Man-s-Burden-551792538 The Yellow Man's Burden]] is similar to the above, but applied to Asians. The [[PointOfDivergence]] is Ögedei Khan living a decade longer and allowing the Mongol Empire [[HordesFromTheEast to expand into Europe]], [[ApocalyseHowClass0 devastating Continental Europe]] and paving the way for [[UsefulNotes/TheFarEast Far Eastern civilizations]] to [[AlternateHistoryWank become major colonial empires]], complete with a [[{{Americasia}} Japanese-speaking ]] [[{{Eagleland}} US-analogue]].

** [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally/art/The-Yellow-Man-s-Burden-551792538 The Yellow Man's Burden]] is similar to the above, but applied to Asians. The [[PointOfDivergence]] is Ögedei Khan living a decade longer and allowing the Mongol Empire [[HordesFromTheEast to expand into Europe]], [[ApocalyseHow/Class0 devastating Continental Europe]] and paving the way for [[UsefulNotes/TheFarEast Far Eastern civilizations]] to [[AlternateHistoryWank become major colonial empires]], complete with a [[Americasia Japanese-speaking]] [[Eagleland]].

** [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally/art/The-Black-Man-s-Burden-734294571 The Black Man's Burden]] depicts a world where [[AlternateHistoryWank African civilizations became advanced colonial powers]], while [[ThePlague plagues]] kept Europe a backwater, leading to Africa colonizing Europe and the rise of [[TheAlliance four competing blocs]]: The [[TheGoodKingdom League of Kings]] led by Monomotopa, the [[CommieLand Collectivists]] led by [[AncientEgypt Kemet]], the [[TheRepublic Global Independence League]] led by the [[{{Eagleland}} United Commonwealths]], and the [[EvilReactionary Grand League for Order and Security]] led by [[VestigialEmpire Anziku]].

** [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally/art/The-Black-Man-s-Burden-734294571 The Black Man's Burden]] depicts a world where [[AlternateHistoryWank African civilizations became advanced colonial powers]], while [[ThePlague plagues]] kept Europe a backwater, leading to Africa colonizing Europe and the rise of [[TheAlliance four competing blocs]]: The [[TheGoodKingdom League of Kings]] led by Monomotopa, the [[CommieLand Collectivists]] led by [[AncientEgypt Kemet]], the [[TheRepublic Global Independence League]] led by the {{[[Eagleland]] United Commonwealths}}, and the [[EvilReactionary Grand League for Order and Security]] led by [[VestigialEmpire Anziku]].

** [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally/art/The-Black-Man-s-Burden-734294571 The Black Man's Burden]] depicts a world where [[AlternateHistoryWank African civilizations became advanced colonial powers]], while [[ThePlague plagues]] kept Europe a backwater, leading to Africa colonizing Europe and the rise of [[TheAlliance four competing blocs]]: The [[TheGoodKingdom League of Kings]] led by Monomotopa, the [[CommieLand Collectivists]] led by [[AncientEgypt Kemet]], the [[TheRepublic Global Independence League]] led by the {{Eagleland United Commonwealths}}, and the [[EvilReactionary Grand League for Order and Security]] led by [[VestigialEmpire Anziku]].

** [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally/art/The-Black-Man-s-Burden-734294571 The Black Man's Burden]] depicts a world where [[BizarroUniverse African civilizations became advanced colonial powers, while plagues kept Europe a backwater]], leading to Africa colonizing Europe and the rise of [[TheAlliance four competing blocs]]: The [[TheGoodKingdom League of Kings]] led by Monomotopa, the [[CommieLand Collectivists]] led by [[AncientEgypt Kemet]], the [[TheRepublic Global Independence League]] led by the [[Main/Eagleland United Commonwealths]], and the [[EvilReactionary Grand League for Order and Security]] led by [[VestigialEmpire Anziku]].

** [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally/art/The-Black-Man-s-Burden-734294571 The Black Man's Burden]] depicts a world where African civilizations became advanced colonial powers, while plagues kept Europe a backwater, leading to Africa colonizing Europe and the rise of [[TheAlliance four competing blocs]]: The [[TheGoodKingdom League of Kings]] led by Monomotopa, the [[CommieLand Collectivists]] led by [[AncientEgypt Kemet]], the [[TheRepublic Global Independence League]] led by the [[Eagleland United Commonwealths]], and the [[EvilReactionary Grand League for Order and Security]] led by [[VestigialEmpire Anziku]].

** [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally/art/The-Black-Man-s-Burden-734294571 The Black Man's Burden]] depicts a world where African civilizations became advanced colonial powers, while plagues kept Europe a backwater, leading to Africa colonizing Europe.

* WebOriginal/Deviantart artist [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally RvBOMally]] has made several AlternateHistory maps exploring this concept:

* ''WebOriginal/DeviantArt'' artist [[https://www.deviantart.com/rvbomally RvBOMally]] has made several AlternateHistory maps exploring this concept:

* In Marvel Comics's ''ComicBook/NewWarriors'' of all things, there is a epic storyline where the cosmic-powered supervillain the Sphinx manages to alter reality so that Egypt is a major world power and has colonized [[DifferentStatesOfAmerica America]]. African-Americans are the dominant social group, while whites are treated more or less like blacks in our reality. Consequently, all the superheroes that have gotten their powers through special equipment or scientific accidents are black, including the Franchise/FantasticFour and Franchise/TheAvengers, with Nova being the TokenWhite Avenger. The Franchise/XMen and related mutant characters are unchanged though, and in this reality are doubly-oppressed.

* ''WebVideo/UltraFastPony'' gets weird with its FantasticRacism. Fluttershy is a former slave, and the institution of slavery in Equestria is clearly a reference to slavery in the US. Now that she's freed, Fluttershy is actually angry that slavery was completely abolished, because she wants to have slaves of her own. She tries to make the animals her slaves instead, but she's "[[CatchPhrase just so bad with animals]]!"

* This is the whole point of the film ''Film/WhiteMansBurden'', where blacks are the racial majority who've generally been in positions of power and privilege in America and whites are the unprivileged minority.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi7KDOAj4Xo The Music video for 'King Rat']] by Music/ModestMouse depicts this between whales and humans.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce Colon Movie Film for Theaters'', when two white government agents shoot a time-travelling Abraham Lincoln, who's covering the Teens' escape in a wooden rocket ([[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext doesn't make much sense in-context, either]]), they suddenly find themselves tied to a horse-cart with a black slave driver cracking a whip at them.

* While many would assume that the persecution of pagans by the formerly-persecuted Christians during the fall of UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire to be a straight example of this trope, it was actually more of a subversion; several other cults which are usually considered "pagan", such as the Cult of Mithras, the Bacchic Rites, [[UsefulNotes/{{Gnosticism}} Gnostics]], etc. all saw sporadic periods of persecution, much like Christians did. Once Christianity became the Roman state religion, the pagan religion of the ruling class that had once persecuted all of these religious groups was brutally persecuted and suppressed. To add further subversion, even other Christian groups whose beliefs didn't align with those of the late Roman ruling class, such as Arians, Monophysites, Ebionites, etc. also saw persecution by the Roman state church.
* The Rwandan genocide was partially a result of this. Without getting into who was persecuting who at which time, let's just say that the Tutsis used to be in elite positions, but then the Hutus engaged in revolutions, purges, etc. By the time of the genocide, the Hutus were trying to get rid of Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

** Unfortunately, in neighboring Zimbabwe, the formerly dominant white minority did suffer this when Robert Mugabe came to power. They were subject to attacks so they would leave their farms, that were taken without compensation. This greatly damaged the economy, as Mugabe gave the farms to cronies of his who weren't trained in farming or neglected them.

* Referenced by Creator/WillSmith during the promotion of ''{{Film/Ali}}''. He joked that, while filming in Mozambique, he felt that if he got in a fight with director Creator/MichaelMann, the police would be likelier to shoot Michael for once.

!!Examples:

* While many would assume that the persecution of pagans by the formerly-persecuted Christians during the fall of UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire to be a straight example of this trope, it was actually more of a subversion; several other cults which are usually considered "pagan", such as the Cult of Mithras, the Bacchic Rites, [[UsefulNotes/{{Gnosticism}} Gnostics]], etc. all saw sporadic periods of persecution, much like Christians did. Once Christianity became the Roman state religion, the pagan religion of the ruling class that had once persecuted all of these religious groups was brutally persecuted and suppressed.

* The fact that Christians were brutally persecuted at many points in AncientRome is quite well known. Once Christians took power in the Empire, pagans were persecuted in turn. Pagan temples were destroyed, rituals were outlawed, property was seized, magistrates declared criminals if they refused to enforce these laws, and eventually pagan belief itself was [[IllegalReligion banned under penalty of death]]. Individual pagans, largely priests, were put to death for practicing their religion, which was forced underground just as Christians had been. This was echoed in many countries that were then converted to Christianity in later centuries too-the choice of becoming Christian was often involuntary, with kings who had taken up the religion afterward compelling their subjects to as well.

On the other hand, in certain cases the barbarism of the now-powerful group can be played up too much and the whole thing can [[UnfortunateImplications seem as though it came out of some dislike or distrust of the group in question]] ("Look how much worse things would be if ''they'' were in charge"). Or, alternatively, the work may be disparaging towards the now-oppressed group (which is usually an AcceptableTarget due to being in power in the real world), and suggest that they deserve to be treated badly.

* The 2014 movie ''Film/{{Persecuted}}'' imagines a United States where freedom of religion isn't already guaranteed under the Constitution, where the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation, where Christians are being persecuted in America, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and where Evangelicals use rosaries]].

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Film]]

* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': In "Lawnmower Dog", dogs gain super-intelligence from one of Rick's creations and rebel against humans, turning the survivors into pets.

* The French short film ''[[https://youtu.be/V4UWxlVvT1A Majorité Opprimée]]'' (Oppressed Majority) has this as its focus. It tells the story of a man going through his day in a matriarchal society, facing casual sexism, street harassment, and eventually sexual assault. Women go around bare-chested, urinate in the street and catcall passing men, who are constantly objectified, belittled, and shamed for not being ‘modest’ enough. In 2018, it was remade as a full-length movie under the title ''Je ne suis pas un homme facile'' (''Film/IAmNotAnEasyMan''), which revolves around an avid chauvinistic man who [[TapOnTheHead after getting hit on the head]], wakes up and discover that in this reality women are in charge, and he falls victim to the same type of sexism he forced women to go through in his normal life.

* In ''{{Film/Spartacus}}'' the gladiators capture some Roman slavers and force them to fight each other for the rebellious slaves' amusement.

* Music/{{Eminem}} [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer was viciously bullied]] as he was growing up was because he was the only white kid in an all-black neighborhood.

** "Spanish Fry" reveals that "human horn" (noses) is considered an aphrodisiac by some alien races and that there are poachers who illegally abduct humans and [[BloodlessCarnage steal]] their noses to sell. This is an obvious reference to the myth that rhinoceros horn is consumed in Asia as an aphrodisiac (it's actually a cure-all remedy and a status symbol, some people knowing it does nothing except show others that they have the money to buy it).

-->-- '''Creator/TrevorNoah''', ''Literature/BornACrime''

* In Marvel Comics's ''ComicBook/NewWarriors'' of all things, there is a epic storyline where the cosmic-powered supervillain the Sphinx manages to alter reality so that Egypt is a major world power and has colonized [[DifferentStatesOfAmerica America]]. African-Americans are the dominant social group, while whites are treated more or less like blacks in our reality. Consequently, all the superheroes that have gotten their powers through special equipment or scientific accidents are black, including the ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' and ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'', with Nova being the TokenWhite Avenger. The ''ComicBook/XMen'' and related mutant characters are unchanged though, and in this reality are doubly-oppressed.

* In Marvel Comics's [[ComicBook/NewWarriors]] of all things, there is a epic storyline where the cosmic-powered supervillain the Sphinx manages to alter reality so that Egypt is a major world power and has colonized [[DifferentStatesOfAmerica America]]. African-Americans are the dominant social group, while whites are treated more or less like blacks in our reality. Consequently, all the superheroes that have gotten their powers through special equipment or scientific accidents are black, including the [[ComicBook/FantasticFour]] and [[ComicBook/TheAvengers]], with Nova being the TokenWhite Avenger. The [[ComicBook/XMen]] and related mutant characters are unchanged though, and in this reality are doubly-oppressed.